


Hot N' Cold

by 127ghouls



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Come Eating, Fluff, Frottage, How Do I Tag, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:01:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25310530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/127ghouls/pseuds/127ghouls
Summary: Taeyong scored himself a vampire boyfriend. Now what? What happens next when said vampire stays in his life, and is followed by the bloodsuckers he's running away from?
Relationships: Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Lee Taeyong
Comments: 20
Kudos: 164
Collections: WorthAKingsRansom





	Hot N' Cold

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Valentine_watashi_no_namae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valentine_watashi_no_namae/gifts).



> Sequel to [Bite The Vampire First to Establish Dominance](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24663565)
> 
> Please read that first! That's only 1.7k long anyway.

“ _Be my boyfriend_ ,” the vampire said.

“ _Be my boyfriend and I won’t suck your blood dry_.” Well, it’s a good bargain, isn’t it? There’s so much more in life that Taeyong wants to do aside from graduating and landing a job. He wasn’t born just to pay the bills, you know. Marriage aside, he wants to travel the world and discover new things that will give himself a little bit more value. Dating a blood-sucking creature that acts more like a child than a monster is a small price to pay for the longevity of his existence.

At first, he was scared. Shit scared. The next day, he woke up to the vampire sitting at the foot of his bed just watching him. Sleep made his brain slow down so Taeyong stayed under the covers, eyes squeezing shut to wait for his sudden hallucination to end. Yet Jaehyun was still there when he opened one eye, and the vampire was closer than earlier. He let out a shriek and grabbed his phone to pull up a cross image from google before shoving it to Jaehyun’s face. 

He didn’t burn, much to Taeyong’s disappointment. Jaehyun looked so upset and hurt that he vanished for two hours. _Why would his own boyfriend do that?_ The vampire cried before storming out of Taeyong’s apartment. He could easily poof in a blink of an eye, so the sight of him petulantly stomping away was a bit comedic, in all honesty.

Later that day when all memories of last night crashed back into his head, of him biting down the vampire’s neck, agreeing to become boyfriends and actually, for the love of God and his lack of functioning brain cells, popping a boner, Taeyong’s fear subsided. There’s a ton of red flags, he knows. The vampire has been watching him long enough to know where he lives. And within a short distance, Taeyong’s thoughts are being air horned into the vampire’s head. Even if he doesn’t say a thing, Jaehyun knows all that swirls in his mind.

How inconvenient and totally invasive, but what else can he do? Taeyong doesn’t want to bleed to death. Who knew that vampires actually exist, and not just a rumor or tales told by mothers to their stubborn children? Taeyong wonders, if he is to rat Jaehyun out, would anyone believe him? Everyone is terrified of vampires, but if they come across one, would they sprint or be fascinated?

Because truth be told, despite the horror of it all, Taeyong was in awe. _I saw golden eyes and pale, cold skin. Are his fangs really that sharp to sink through muscles? How is that possible? Does his heart beat? I have to know, one way or another, right? I mean – we’re dating, for fuck’s sake!_

Is Jaehyun serious or is this simply a tactic to lure him to an abysmal trap? How would one know that they’re being hypnotized?

Taeyong shook the thoughts away when Jaehyun, freezing and unbothered by his own bodily temperature, rested his head on the human’s shoulder and snoozed (do they even sleep?). They were sitting on the couch and watching an action movie. Partly because Taeyong was bored and mostly because he wanted to drown out the rational voice inside him urging him to make a goddamn call to the cops and get rid of Jaehyun.

His fascination, and strange attraction towards the handsome vampire are far stronger than his fear. Moreover, he wanted to see how things would play out. Because aside from wanting to live a long life, isn’t it also important to find reasons that will make you think? _That_ _this – this is what it means to live._

One day, he will look back and remember this (if he manages not to die in a week) story, and realize it made him feel alive. It made him experience something that not everyone would go through. Being with a vampire might not be a completely sane idea, but if he looks around and sees how dull the world is with its everyday routine, Taeyong will appreciate the color Jaehyun is about to paint for him. 

Hopefully.

If Jaehyun doesn’t rip his throat out.

Two weeks later.

Taeyong kicks the snow off his doorstep until it clears and he sees the wet concrete beneath his feet. He makes a mental note of shoveling them tomorrow before taking the keys out of the pocket of his padded coat, only for the door to be unlocked already. Momentarily, his heart races at the thought of a burglar. Yet as soon as he bravely pushes the door open and sees Jaehyun on the sofa munching some salad, he realizes how stupid he is for being scared at a mere mortal trespassing his home than at a vampire that can take his life anytime he wishes.

“Thanks for unlocking it for me,” he says as he tosses the keys in a fish bowl on a shelf. Taeyong vaguely registers the show playing on TV as he walks to the kitchen to put the bag of convenience store dinner on the table. “How did you get in?”

“Powers. Vampire powers,” Jaehyun shovels the last cabbage in his mouth, turns off the tv and hops off the couch to put the bowl in the sink and washes it. During the course of two weeks that he keeps dropping by, he’s learned so much of what humans do on the daily. He used to struggle inside Taeyong’s house trying to make things work, but now, he can survive without breaking all that he touches.

Taeyong has no idea how old Jaehyun is, if he was born a vampire, or was unfortunate enough to be turned. How did he die? And he doesn’t know where Jaehyun came from but he guesses not the city, not the city in a long time.

Jaehyun hums a song while scrubbing the bowl clean. He’s surprisingly meticulous, Taeyong thinks as he takes off his padded coat and hangs it over one of the chairs.

“Can we talk? Like, you’ve been dropping by for two weeks sporadically. Sometimes you stay for a few hours, sometimes you last a day. Don’t you think I should charge you a fourth of the rent? You use my electricity when I’m not here.”

Jaehyun leaves the bowl in the rack to dry and wipes his hands down his pants before looking at Taeyong. “But I don’t have money. I can find a job, but it’s gonna be hard ‘cause they’ll think I’m weird…” The vampire scurries over to a mirror on the fridge and squints at his reflection. “I have gold eyes and I’m so pale. It will freak them out. They’ll ask if I’m sick, right? And require me to get tested. I have no money to get tested.”

“You’re worrying about that instead of them discovering you’re a whole ass vampire?”

“Shhh! Don’t say that out loud!”

“No one is going to hear, you paranoid freak.” Taeyong sighs and takes the food out of the bag before turning the heater on. “Anyway, I’m kidding about getting a rent share. I just really want to get down to what _this_ is, you get me? I want to know what you really want from me. Do you expect me to do this for life?” He swipes a glance at Jaehyun, who stands still watching his every move. It’s a little unnerving. “I know I agreed to date you because fuck me, I’m crazy and I think you’re hot. But what does _this_ really mean?”

Taeyong admits he sounds exasperated. “Jaehyun, I don’t want to die. Actually, I enjoy your company because you’re quiet and you just really sit around doing nothing alarming. I think this is cool, you know? Don’t get me wrong. It’s not everyday you meet a vampire so uncharacteristically cute. People should drop the murderer narrative about your kind and meet you. That sounds great, right? They’re gonna be nice once they see you’re harmless. Are you harmless?” They stare at each other for a minute before Taeyong plops on the chair, groaning. “I have no idea what I’m getting at.”

Jaehyun purses his lips in deep thought as he rubs a bare foot over the other, hands fidgeting. “You want to know how long I’m planning to be in your life and if I’m going to keep my word. I suppose you deserve some assurance. Honestly, I’ve been wanting to talk about this because I’m starting to realize how weird and wrong this is.”

“Wrong?” Taeyong raises a brow.

The vampire’s lower lip juts out. “It’s wrong. Our whole set-up. I literally threatened you that if you don’t agree to be my boyfriend, I would kill you. But I’m gonna be honest now. Even if you said no, I still wouldn’t kill you. I came off strong and desperate for a drink that night, but believe me, I wouldn’t force myself on you. I just didn’t know how to approach… There really is no normal way to politely ask for blood without scaring you.” Jaehyun pulls a chair for him to sit, hands balled on his lap as gold eyes look into Taeyong’s sincerely. “But I really like you. You’re so beautiful and I think I fell for you at first sight! Maybe…give me half a year to date you then you can dump me?”

The human scratches his head. “Half a year of _inhumane_ experience and then you’re going to leave and then I’ll be back to my old life, is that it? Listen, you’re already growing on me. I just want to know whether or not I’m gonna be your dinner, _ever,_ because…” A voice in his head tries to convince him that what he’s going to say next is a huge mistake, but Taeyong snips its tongue. “Because if you won’t kill me, then I think we should try? Like, try being together for a long time. Get to know each other. Maybe make you a part of my plans. Fulfill my dreams and include you in them. What do you say?”

He doesn’t realize how nervous he is until Jaehyun’s eyes drop to his chest. Taeyong follows it, frowning as he presses a hand against his thumping heart.

“You like my presence and…and you want to do a lot of things with me? You’re going to visit a lot of countries and eat their food, watch musicals, adopt a puppy or two when you get older – and you want to do them with me?” Jaehyun looks so mystified that Taeyong almost barks out a laughter. “Are you okay?”

Is he okay? The vampire has the gall to ask him that? Really? Taeyong finally laughs. He laughs loudly and freely, and realizes it’s been a while since he felt that kind of incredulous amusement. “Of course, I’m not okay! My head hit the wall when you shoved me against it, remember? In the alley? It affected my reasoning so greatly that I am now considering a life with someone I do not know.” Taeyong says in between shocks of laughter ripping through him. “Someone inherently perilous. But what can I do?”

Jaehyun watches curiously as the man opposite him reaches out and ruffles his hair.

“You’re so cute and I haven’t gotten back at you yet for stealing a kiss and giving me blue balls. Don’t think I’m not scared, alright? I am scared.” By now, he’s not laughing anymore. There’s a solemn expression on his face that Jaehyun commits to memory. “I don’t know what you coming into my life has in store for me, but I’m kind of interested at how things will play out for us. Let’s not take this too seriously and be in love right away. For now, you’re a vampire that claims he doesn’t want to kill me and has a crush on me. So I will get to know you and give you a chance. There’s so much more you need to tell me, right? And you’re gonna be here for a while, so tell me all about you one at a time. I’m sure it’s going to be too much for me to take at once anyway.”

The atmosphere has gone serious, but Jaehyun lacks common sense not to make an unnecessary comment about it. “This is making me feel like an abandoned pet tied to a fire hydrant on 6th street at 3 in the afternoon when everyone is busy in work or school or taking a nap and it will be picked up by a nice, rich man. Said pet will be taken home and cared for until they can’t imagine a day without each other anymore.”

“…Where did you see that scene? It’s so specific.”

“Earlier, I was watching a documentary about stray dogs.” A smile appears on Jaehyun’s face and he takes Taeyong’s hand in his, unapologetic about his freezing touch. “Thank you, Taeyong! I promise, I’m going to make you fall for me.” His head adorably tilts a little to the right. “Because we’re boyfriends and the feelings should be mutual.”

“And how are you going to do that?” Taeyong asks, a little amused. He takes his band back to blow hot breaths on it. Only a minute lasted when it was in Jaehyun’s hold but it’s close to falling off from extreme cold. His fingers barely curl into his palm when he tries to ball it up. “How are you going to make me love you?”

“By being myself.” If Jaehyun’s blood was still circulating, his face would be red by now. He misses a lot of things when he was still human, including the palpitation of his heart. “You’ve already seen the worst and you’re not kicking me out. There are only good things to show you from now on.”

Taeyong chuckles and leans in until they’re a hair’s breadth apart, making Jaehyun recline a bit. “How the hell are you so cute? The vampires I saw in movies have crimson eyes, drips of blood on their chin. They all radiate danger. But you, you’re like a pup. If you weren’t like a block of ice, I would have my hands on you right now.” Then without warning, his lips press onto Jaehyun’s. It lasts three seconds before he pulls away. “Boyfriends kiss a lot, don’t they?”

“Y-yes, they do,” Trembling, Jaehyun grips the sleeves of Taeyong’s shirt. The kiss, although brief and nothing but a peck, is so impactful that the vampire falls into a pit of want. He wants more, more of Taeyong’s mouth on his, his hands – and in the quiet corners of the night, Jaehyun even dreams of listening to the human’s gasps of pleasure brought by his touch.

There is something alluring about the vampire’s presence that Taeyong can’t ignore. It’s like he’s possessed with a blinding desire to be close to Jaehyun. Whenever the vampire’s within reach, he can’t help the heat pooling in his gut. If he didn’t know better, Taeyong would think that the fear is actually attracting him even more.

Just like in the movies, would ecstasy set him on fire once he surrenders into the mercy of a vampire’s love? They always make it look so sensual, so lustfully suffocating and romantic. Would he dare get under Jaehyun and let him have his way?

Taeyong presses his legs together, mentally cursing. He just shamelessly imagined getting fucked by his vampire boyfriend while the latter drinks from him. Another question pops into his head just as Jaehyun takes his mouth for a deeper kiss.

_What if he let Jaehyun suck his blood while they’re at it? Would if feel so damn good?_

“Stop,” the human exhales before pushing Jaehyun away. He’s sure that his own eyes are dilating, and when he looks into Jaehyun’s, they’re not any different. “I’m getting hard, and I’m not ready to have sex with you just yet.”

“Oh.” Jaehyun blinks a few times and then he’s looking away bashfully.

“Bet it would feel like shoving a popsicle up my ass.”

“How will you know if we don’t try?”

Taeyong shakes his head and grabs his dinner. “Not now.” He asks Jaehyun for a pair of chopsticks before eating his spicy rice cake. “I’m going to my friend’s tomorrow to talk about a project. Do you want to go with me?”

Piercing gold eyes widen. “Really?”

“Mhm. But we have to do something about your temperature. It’s still winter so I guess you can wear my padded coat. Let’s put some heat packs inside. You won’t malfunction, do you?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Good. We’ll go there after lunch. Then…” Taeyong stares at Jaehyun for a moment before wiping the sauce off his mouth with the back of his hand. “We can go on a date?” Smiling, he gently pats the vampire’s cheek. “Let’s go on a date. Maybe I’ll fall in love with you right away.”

Before leaving the apartment, Taeyong slips a number of heat packs in Jaehyun’s padded coat. Each heat pack lasts up to 45 minutes and by the time they arrive at his friend’s and the padded coat has to be taken off, Jaehyun’s skin would have sucked up the heat even for a short period of time. Winter is yet to reach its end. It won’t be weird to see someone holding a bunch of those packs.

“My body won’t absorb the heat but at least it will stick to my skin for a while. They won’t touch me inappropriately, will they?”

Taeyong finishes taping two packs on Jaehyun’s torso. One in front and one on his back. He also made the vampire hold one in each hand and reminds him that if anybody asks, he shall tell that he gets cold easily. “They might ask for a handshake because it’s their first time meeting you.”

Jaehyun blinks owlishly as Taeyong zips up his coat. “What am I gonna do?”

“Nothing. Don’t shake hands with them. Let’s go? We’ll take the bus. It’s only 20 minutes from the stop.” Remembering that vampires can’t endure the sun, Taeyong tugs the coat’s hood over Jaehyun’s head. It’s not really sunny, thanks to the overcast day. But just to make sure in case the thick clouds part and the sun takes a peek, Taeyong gives him a mask to protect most of his skin.

No one gives Jaehyun a second look as they wait at the bus stop. He’s definitely feeling the heat seeping through his skin now, but his insides remain frozen. While standing in line, a kid bumps against his leg and Jaehyun glances at the little girl who giggles up at him. He smiles behind the mask before looking at the child’s mother. Her expression switches from blank to awe when she sees the color of his eyes. They are accentuated by the mask he’s wearing. Since the coat’s hood is also up, there’s nothing else to focus on but his eyes.

“Are they lenses?” She inquires innocently.

Jaehyun nods. “I want to be stylish…”

“It suits you.” The woman compliments before taking a step closer. “They certainly put so much detail in it.”

The bus arrives and Taeyong quickly pulls him away from the woman to board. They find vacant seats at the back.

“What was she saying?”

Jaehyun points to his eyes. “She approves of my lenses.”

A snort leaves the human before he looks forward. “If only she knew…”

The woman and her child are two seats in front of them. Mischievously, Jaehyun pulls his mask down just as the girl grins at him, before smiling widely and showing off his fangs. The little girl gasps and tugs her mom’s shirt. But since she’s not that articulate at her age, she can only garble words that confuse the woman and gets her scolded.

Taeyong sees the whole interaction and laughs behind a fist. “You’re so annoying.” To keep the others from eavesdropping, he moves closer and whispers right into Jaehyun’s ear. His hot breath makes the vampire gulp. “You have control over your fangs? That’s cool.”

“No,” the vampire pulls up his mask and glances at Taeyong. “They grow when I’m hungry.”

“Oh.”

Hungry? Does Jaehyun want to eat? Taeyong hums and links arms with him. “Yuta has a lot of food.”

Three jabs on the doorbell later, Yuta welcomes them in. “Hey, you’re on time.” He closes the door, eyeing Jaehyun. “Who is he?”

Papers cover the floor of the living room. It looks like his project-mate has been researching already. Taeyong tells Jaehyun not to step on them, taking off his coat. “He’s Jaehyun, my boyfriend. I hope you don’t mind I brought him.”

Yuta’s jaw drops to the ground. “Wait a damn second. You got a boyfriend? Since when? Man, we’ve been friends since freshman year! You’re supposed to tell me stuff like this!” He looks Jaehyun up and down. Not bad. “It’s okay, remove your coat. My heater works.”

“I easily get cold.”

“We met two weeks ago. You want the deets? There isn’t much.” Taeyong hops over a folder sit on the couch. “We matched on Grindr, met up and instantly clicked!” He throws a grin at Yuta’s direction like what he said is nothing but an everyday occurrence. “Anticlimactic, I know.”

Jaehyun nods before sitting next to Taeyong. It’s a challenge not to step on the papers that look quite important, but he can’t just shift places like he usually does and expect the outsider not to freak out.

Not buying what his friend said, Yuta rolls his eyes and begins clearing the floor. He works better in terrible disorder. “That’s it? You’re not gonna tell me more?”

“That’s it! I mean, we like each other so we’re going out. Why make it complicated and wait? Anyway, he’s nice.” Taeyong pulls down Jaehyun’s hood and keeps the mask on. “We’re going on a date after this.”

“Okay, okay.” Yuta files away the documents and extends his hand towards Jaehyun. “Nice to meet you!” Maybe he shouldn’t have been so eager to be friends with the guy because Jaehyun only stares at his hand, silently rejecting it. “Erm…”

Taeyong sighs. “He’s got sensitive skin. I think it’s winter allergy or something.”

“Sorry, I don’t mean to be rude…”

Yuta shrugs, unaffected. “It’s good. Should we start? I got somewhere to be in three hours.”

While the two work on their project, Jaehyun is left in his own world to entertain himself. He’s sick of watching the same show on TV so he makes do with the cards Yuta gave him. With zero knowledge of it coupled with the lack of playmates, he’s contented with just shuffling and reshuffling for a while. Jaehyun makes rows of them according to suit and when he gets bored after the third time, he taps Yuta on the shoulder and asks if he’s got better games.

Yuta pities him so he lets Jaehyun use his play station in the bedroom. Expecting that the other knows how to use it, Yuta returns to the living room to continue working.

Not even half an hour later, Jaehyun stares at the broken controller in his hand. One of the buttons get stuck after he presses it hard. He doesn’t know what he’s been doing. At all. There’s a long note on the screen saying something about system failure and that’s when he comes out to call Yuta.

“Um, I need help. It won’t let me play.”

Needless to say, Yuta is devastated. The boyfriends watch him sob in bed about how he just got the console recently and that his parents are going to kill him. Jaehyun looks at Taeyong. Guilt colors his face.

“Hey, he’s sorry. Jaehyun just… he came from a poor family so he has no idea how that works. They’re basically destitute. Look, I’ll get you a new one.”

Yuta blows his nose on a hankie and looks at the two with red-rimmed eyes. “For real?

Taeyong rubs a hand down his face. His own parents are going to sack him and let the garbage men decide on his fate. “For real. Don’t be sad. He’s sorry. Jaehyun, apologize.”

Much to their surprise, the vampire gets on his knees and bows low until his forehead touches the floor. “Please forgive me, Yuta. I didn’t mean it…”

“Babe, what are you doing?” Taeyong forcefully pulls him to a stand, eyeing him incredulously. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“But I broke his game!”

Yuta waves dismissively. “Forget it. Taeyong will buy me a new one.” He squints at his friends and mouths something unintelligibly.

They finish the work a little earlier since Yuta is still feeling bad about the loss of his precious possession and cannot concentrate. Taeyong promises him to get a new PS5 as soon as possible before the couple leaves the apartment.

Jaehyun’s head hangs low as they walk back to the bus stop. The silence stretches a few minutes until Taeyong cannot bear it anymore. He hates seeing a dispirited Jaehyun. “You didn’t do it on purpose. You didn’t know better so don’t beat yourself over it. I said I’d get him a new one…”

“But it’s not okay. Don’t baby me.”

Taeyong stifles a laughter, rubbing under his nose. “I’m not babying you. What do you want me to do? You have no money for repair. How can you explain to him that vampires don’t exactly get to play PS5? That you brood and meditate in a cave or sleep in a wooden coffin as a hobby.”

Jaehyun glares at him halfheartedly. “Vampires don’t do that. You humans are stereotyping us.”

“Okay, fine.” The human raises both hands in mock surrender. “But please, there’s nothing you can do about it. He’s feeling bad but that’s just because he can’t play for a while, not because he hates you. Trust me.” Taeyong slips his hand in Jaehyun’s pocket to hold the vampire’s hand. The extra heat pack is still warm, but Jaehyun’s icy skin is prevailing. “Smile for me?”

The vampire sniffles and puts on a tiny smile behind the mask.

“You look so much cuter when you smile.” Taeyong says even though he can’t exactly see it. “Hey, I’m not loaded so I can’t bring you to a fancy meal, those candle-lit dinners. Maybe next time.”

“It’s okay. I don’t really like meat or pasta or…anything that isn’t salad.”

Their bus arrives and Jaehyun follows Taeyong to the seats at the very back. It’s not packed; there are only three other people with them but Taeyong the spot he hates the most so no one will hear their conversation. It’s one less problem to worry about people knowing Jaehyun’s secret.

“Do you only eat salad?”

‘If I have no means to get my hands on our natural diet, salad works. I found out on a random day when curiosity got the best of me. Had to blend in with humans when I left home. It’s been a while since I’ve been surrounded by non-vampires.”

“What do you mean by that?” Taeyong only gets a shrug. “Okay. I guess that’s too personal. You’ll tell me one day?”

Jaehyun pulls out one last heat pack and gives it to Taeyong. The human’s hand has gone numb from holding his. “Absolutely. So what are we eating?”

“Let’s go to this restaurant at the mall. They have a salad bar. You can get as much as you want. Make a mountain on your plate. _Theeen_ , play at the arcade after? I’ll teach your how to play my favorite games. Then if you’re still up for it, we can watch a movie.” Taeyong tilts his head, thinking. “You don’t get easily tired, do you?”

The vampire shakes his head. “Rarely do. Sometimes I nap but I don’t really fall in deep sleep. My mind and body are still conscious” Jaehyun shifts in his seat as he looks Taeyong in the eyes. “Those things you told me…they sound exciting. Back in the day, there were no game consoles or arcades or fast food. Or movie houses. Dating didn’t exist. In general, a more formal courtship is done. Romance so much more political. Homosexuality was punishable by death depending on severity. The clothing…” Jaehyun has a finger on his lips as he reminisces. “Women would be locked up in dungeons for indecent exposure or mistaken for a harlot in a brothel. Today is nothing like yesterday.”

Watching Jaehyun talk about the old days is kind of endearing. Taeyong is aware that the vampire is immortal and must have lived since god knows when. “How old are you, really?”

Jaehyun puts his hand down and grips the padded coat, face unreadable. “I’m 20.”

“How long have you been 20?’

Slowly, a smile blossoms on his face. Yet his eyes are strangely soulless.

“Four hundred,” he says so softly that it’s almost inaudible. And though it passes quickly, Taeyong sees the way Jaehyun’s eyes glint molten gold. “Four hundred years.”

Jaehyun almost wipes out the salad bar. Taeyong pays for three plates of it and the vampire, remembering his boyfriend’s suggestion, fills every plate until he has three towers of vegetables on the table. Behind them, a group or grandmas complain about gluttons.

“You can eat all that?” Taeyong rips the crunchy skin of his fried chicken, eating happily.

“We can share. If we can’t finish it, can we ask them to pack it up?”

Taeyong nods and they start small talks while filling their stomachs. One hour later, with a bag of take-away, they walk out of the restaurant to do some window shopping before hitting the arcade.

The human learns that Jaehyun likes plain shirts. He ends up buying two black shirts, heart swelling as Jaehyun bounces on his heels in excitement. Taeyong chuckles as Jaehyun shoves his head inside the bag like an ostrich to look at his new clothes.

“Now I’m curious. Where did you get the clothes you’re wearing?”

Jaehyun takes his head out of the bag and furtively looks around before answering. “I stole them.”

“What–”

“My vampire clothes are so weird! I looked like a satanic priest. It’s fine…the house I broke into was huge. Like a mansion. They won’t get mad losing some clothes.”

Since he looks so happy, Taeyong drops the topic and leads the way to the entertainment floor. From a distance, they can already hear the exhilarating discordant blend of music. Jaehyun gawks at the colorful neon lights all over the place as Taeyong exchanges his money for a bag of tokens.

“You probably wanna try everything but my money is only enough to let us play two rounds of basketball, three Dance Dance Revolution dance-offs and some hopeless trials at claw machines. Those are my usual games.” Taeyong gestures for the vampire to follow him towards the coin operated machines. Each machine is currently occupied so they wait a little bit at the side before taking the first to be vacant. Taeyong hands Jaehyun two tokens. “You insert these in this slit and when it lights up, you have to shoot as many as possible within a minute. Make sure they go in the hoops.”

“I know basketball,” Jaehyun inserts each token.

“Yeah, but you don’t’ know how to play arcade basketball. It’s starting!”

The small gate opens to release five balls. Jaehyun and Taeyong pick up each and take turns shooting. Surprisingly, the vampire is quite good at it. His moves are light and agile, but too strong at times that Jaehyun disfigures the ring. Taeyong hopes they don’t get caught.

After two rounds, their tickets are considerably longer than those players next to them.

“What are these tickets for?” Jaehyun rolls it up neatly while following the human to Dance Dance Revolution.

Taeyong rushes to a free machine and pulls Jaehyun closer by the arm. “We exchange it for a prize.” He then busies himself with choosing a song to play.

“What do we get?”

“Depends on how many tickets we have. If we want the biggest prize, we’re going to have to stay here for days on end and play everything. Sadly, my allowance doesn’t cover that much.”

“Then should we keep the tickets first and come back here when you have more money? But you have to buy Yuta a new PS5.” Jaehyun steps on the stage and randomly stomps on the arrows. “How do you play this?”

“My parents will get him the PS5, don’t worry. But I might get a slap or two. Anyway, I’m gonna choose a song and we’ll follow the arrows on the screen by stepping on them. The less mistakes we make, the higher our score. And then we get more tickets. Do you have well coordinated feet?”

Jaehyun glances down his legs. “The only dance I ever mastered was Baroque, when I stayed in France for a while.”

“What did you do in France?”

“Nothing. I was hidden because I was a relatively new vampire.” He says casually since it’s too loud anyway that nobody will hear unless they’re standing close. “Is it starting?”

“Yep, I’ll show you the single player game first and then I’ll let you play with me.” Taeyong says before finally choosing SNSD’s Gee. With pure child-like wonderment, Jaehyun is drawn to the bubblegum pop song. His attention shift between the nine pretty ladies dancing on the screen to the quick movements of Taeyong’s feet.

Instantly, Taeyong acquires a small group of fans. Girls and some boys flock around him to watch him play. Pushed to the side, Jaehyun pouts and silently admires his boyfriend. Taeyong looks more handsome when he’s completely focused on what he’s doing. Bright lights flicker on the human’s face, reminding Jaehyun of the first time he laid his eyes on him.

It was a few days later after he escaped from the council. The vampire shifted here and there, not knowing where to go. Even though he has lived in Korea half of his vampire life, he was kept in prison and didn’t even witness the gradual modernization of his own country. The roads that were previously soiled and bumpy are now cemented. Tall buildings sprouted left and right, markets and shops are not what they used to be. He can barely see the trees as they are concealed by so many stoned infrastructures. For a while, it was so foreign.

But as a quick learner, Jaehyun easily adapted. A day of observation rewarded him the ability to blend in the crowd. The only trait that gives away his abnormality is the color of his eyes and skin. People around him are pale but Jaehyun is deathly pale. Out of the thousand humans that passed by him, only one had a lighter eye color. Luckily, no one bothered to spare him a second look.

As he roamed the streets, an alien to his own nation, that was when he saw Taeyong. His heart might have stopped beating 400 years ago, but looking at the enthralling human had him feeling that phantom drumming in his chest. He was bewitched, to say it simply. Taeyong was like an oasis in the dessert, so Jaehyun followed him everyday. It didn’t even occur to him how wrong it was to stalk a person. The vampire didn’t care. He had no plans to harm the beautiful human.

A month passed by when he couldn’t endure it any longer, and blessed Taeyong the awareness of his existence. When the love of his life tried to fight him off, scared and ready to bolt, it pierced Jaehyun like a legion of frozen blades shooting down on him. He was in so much pain that when Taeyong bit him, he felt it physically. His body hardens to protect him from an attack, and softens when there is no danger. Distracted by the way Taeyong looked so repulsed, he lost that ability for a moment.

But he couldn’t just let him go, you see. He finally had the courage to meet Taeyong. And now, he’s dating him. Hopefully, Taeyong returns the same intensity of emotions the vampire harbors for him.

“Jaehyun!”

His gaze snaps back towards the human. Jaehyun weaves his way through the throng of people. When did they double? “Am I gonna dance now?”

“Yeah. You looked so distracted; your eyes were so far away. Are you okay?” Taeyong asks, concern laced in his tone.

“Mhm. I just remembered something. Can we please dance to the same song? I like it!” The vampire doesn’t wait for an approval as he inserts some tokens and slams a hand down the button to restart the game.

To summarize it, Jaehyun is a terrible Dance Dance Revolution dancer. This is downright different from Baroque and the other traditional dances he once knew. Their tickets don’t lengthen when they finish, but Taeyong seems like he’s having so much fun if the pretty smile and sparkling eyes of his are anything to go by.

“If you were normal, you’d be sweating by now.” Taeyong comments as they head to one of the claw machines. “We should’ve bought a drink; I’m thirsty.” When he blinks, Jaehyun is gone. The human frantically looks around, trying to see if anyone noticed. Nobody’s watching them, thank God.

Jaehyun comes back five minutes later. “Here, I got you water. There’s a vending machine outside.”

“Where did you get the money?”

“I wasn’t the one who bought it. A girl asked what I wanted because I was just standing there like an idiot trying to figure out how I could break the glass. She’s very nice.”

“I think she has a crush on you,” Taeyong greedily drinks the water and hands it back to Jaehyun. “Okay. This is pretty tricky. According to Statistics, 9 out of 10 people get stressed from playing this. Usually it’s because the claw has a loose grip so when it rattles, the toy drops. You may have a hundred token but you’ll only get two soft toys. That’s how frustrating this game is.”

Jaehyun presses his face on the glass, eyeing the Pooh plushie. “Is that an accurate data?”

“No, I made it up. But it’s valid.” Taeyong giggles before starting to play. They try and try until he grows tired of it, wanting to go to another machine, but Jaehyun keeps him there and shoos away the kids wanting to play. “I forgot to say that this is also rigged.”

“Step aside, please.” Jaehyun takes Taeyong’s previous spot and plays. His brows furrow in concentration, the tip of his pink tongue poking out of his mouth.

Next to him, Taeyong makes a gesture of slicing his neck. “I’m a child of the arcade. This place practically birthed me and until now, I haven’t – what the fuck?” He exclaims in disbelief as Jaehyun picks up the Pooh from the dispenser. “What the fuck?”

Jaehyun giggles behind the soft toy as he presses his face against it. “This game is pretty tricky. It lets one person play for twenty times and the claw will grasp the toy at the 20th round. You stopped playing after 15 tries. I got it on my fifth!”

“And how legit is that information?” A smirk appears on Taeyong’s face before a hand reaches out to pinch Jaehyun’s cold cheek. “You made it up, didn’t you? Come on, we ran out of tokens.” He takes the tickets and rolls them up before slipping them in Jaehyun’s pocket. They leave the arcade to go line up for a movie.

There’s nothing that interests Taeyong so he lets Jaehyun choose. They end up sitting in a theater playing a rom-com. In the middle of it, his head gingerly rests on the vampire’s shoulder.

“Is this okay?”

Jaehyun looks at him and hums. “Are you sleepy?”

Taeyong purses his lips. “No, but I can’t hold your hand for a long time without numbing mine so I’m just doing this. At least, the coat serves like a flat pillow.”

None of them is aware that the other’s chest constricts the same way. Their relationship is by far the most peculiar of all. It’s essential for all couples to bond physically, even in the most wholesome way. But from the looks of it, they can’t ever make that connection. Taeyong watches the movie to forget, and Jaehyun tries to recall his life as a mortal; the memories have already faded.

“God, the last date I went on was a year ago. It was shit. I think it would’ve been fine if the guy wasn’t a total pervert. Can you believe it? We were on the way to a museum and he suddenly whipped out a motel keycard, waved it to my face and said, _you’re gonna get royally fucked tonight, baby.”_ Taeyong gags after mimicking the man’s voice. “Disgusting pig. I was this close to calling the cops.”

They just finished the movie and are heading out of the mall. Jaehyun’s nose scrunches, hating the thought of Taeyong seeing another man. “Can that be considered sexual harassment? He should’ve asked you first.”

“Damn right. But I don’t know; he wasn’t really my type. I only went out with him because I felt bad. He dropped out of class the next day. Too ashamed, I guess.”

The wind blows harshly and bites through their skin, but only Taeyong complains about it. He pulls up the hood of his coat and crosses his arms over his chest.

Jaehyun breaks the silence. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“Because this is my first time going on a date and it would’ve been more fun if I knew what I was doing…?” He says uncertainly, gripping the rolls of tickets in his pocket.

He receives a scoff from the human. Taeyong frowns disapprovingly at his self-deprecation. “Shut up, Jaehyun. I liked what we did today. Actually, it was more fun because it was your first time. I enjoyed teaching you to play my favorite games. It was fun because for the first time, I got a lot of tickets – thanks to you. You’re happy, aren’t you?”

Jaehyun nods.

“Then that’s all that matters. You enjoyed spending time with me. You were being yourself the entire time. Naïve, excited, not a puzzle to solve. Certainly a mystery, but I’m in no hurry to uncover the truth about you. That’s what makes it better. We enjoyed ourselves. You made me happy. No complications.”

“Not even my nature is a hindrance?”

Taeyong looks up the dark sky, his hair blowing with the breeze. Tonight, there are lesser stars as they are blanketed still by the clouds. Nevertheless, he likes winter. Even more now it’s giving him a new experience, making him feel much more alive. “I don’t feel like taking you out frequently.”

_“Oh.”_

“Because you’re so handsome. People stare at you even if they can only see your eyes. The color doesn’t scare them away; it does the opposite. And you get enthralled by the wonders of modern lifestyle. Somehow, I just want you to look at me and only me.” Taeyong kicks the snow. “When you leave the house at night, what do you do? Do you…feed on? On other people?”

Jaehyun licks his lips but they eventually dry up due to the constant gust of wind. “No, I haven’t been feeding on humans.” He sighs in relief hearing Taeyong’s reason. “I stopped. When I found you, I stopped.”

Oddly, that makes Taeyong feel better. “Don’t you get hungry? Surely, the salad won’t suffice.”

“I am fighting it.” Gold eyes flicker back to the human. “I _am_ currently fighting it. That night I showed myself to you, I just really wanted to talk to you and blurted out the most stupid thing to say. I’ve been sneaking in restaurants to eat salad. I wasn’t _that_ hungry.”

“How about now?”

A smirk curls on Jaehyun’s lips, hidden by the mask. His eyes become hazy, lids lowering. When he runs a tongue at one of his growing fangs, there’s the ghost flavor of copper. “You don’t wanna know.”

A shiver runs down Taeyong’s spine and he fails to notice his legs picking up pace of their own volition. Beside him, Jaehyun inhales the faint scent of fear. It’s tantalizing. “Alright,” his voice shakes a bit. “The people you fed on, are they...are they dead?”

The vampire shakes his head. “They only die if I kill them which is through sucking their blood dry. It rarely happened. Some of them willingly offered themselves as meals. Most of the time, they just lost consciousness and forgot about it when they woke up.” Talking about it makes Jaehyun remember the mundane life with the council.

“So if I…if I let you feed on me, I’ll forget about it?” Taeyong knows he’s playing with the devil, prodding where it tickles the most. He feeds his own fear like fuel to the flames.

“If I make you forget it.”

“I want to remember,” Taeyong burrows half of his face into the coat, breathing shakily. “All of it.”

The trip on the way home takes longer because of the falling snow. The road is nowhere to be seen as they trudge down the street. Everything is a blanket of white, wet and chilly.

It’s a comfortable silence. The fear Taeyong felt earlier evaporated in the air.

As they round the corner, Jaehyun stiffens with a foreboding that someone is watching them. He tries to will away the feeling but it grows stronger at every step they make. The hairs on his arm raise and a tingling sensation runs up his limbs.

“Will you stay the night?” Taeyong asks him.

“Do you want me to?”

“It’s okay…” A blush coats the human’s face. If it was brighter, Jaehyun would see the spider veins of pulsing red on Taeyong’s cheeks. “I want to talk more.” _Is that the only reason why?_

They reach Taeyong’s apartment. He fishes out his keys, unlocks the door and looks at Jaehyun. “Will you stay?”

“I will.”

He will, not only because he’s certain now that Taeyong wants his presence. More so because when he casts a sidelong glance to his left, Jaehyun sees an ominous shadow springing from the side of the next house.

He can’t leave Taeyong alone.

Taeyong hides a smile and enters the apartment, missing the menacing glow of Jaehyun’s gold eyes.

Not a word is spoken, found unnecessary by a silent invitation. Taeyong’s coat is received by the chair near the bed, soon joined by the one that the vampire’s wearing. Frosty wind slips in through the open window and he quickly closes it, together with the dark curtains. So nervous he seems to be so suddenly. Within him is a flurry of feelings in a loud battle – will he give in or will he keep his own words from the day before? Yesterday, he was fighting it. Earlier, he was still fighting it, yet the urge to explore sizzles just beneath stubborn rationality. He’s aware where it comes from.

But he sounded so assertive, so against being intimate. Only twenty four hours later and he’s bending, forcing the rules of this world to bend for selfishness. There’s something about the way Jaehyun behaved when they were talking about his hunger. Or maybe it’s just Taeyong breaking piece by piece, all human erring for the vampire.

_What happened to being too different from each other that physical intimacy might be impossible? Would he dare break a limb for it?_

_How will he know if he doesn’t try? Just once, and if hurts too much, stop._

“Are we going to sleep?” Jaehyun locks the door behind him. The feeling of being watched has stopped but he’s still wary. Shutting the curtains is enough for now. Tomorrow, he will roam around. Whatever it is that is now interested in Taeyong, it will have to be caught as soon as possible. “Do you have a spare mattress?”

“I don’t,” Taeyong turns the lamp on, keeps the light low before getting the heater to work. If he’s going to touch Jaehyun tonight, then he might as well make sure he won’t suffer from hypothermia. “The bed is big enough, you can lie down with me.”

“Are you sure?” The vampire asks, eyes widening when the human discards his shirt without warning. Unsure whether he could look at Taeyong when he’s in such state, Jaehyun pins his eyes to the wall. “Uh…”

Taeyong almost feels bad. The things he said yesterday echo in his head, screaming hypocrisy. “Jaehyun, I want to do something. But first, will you please put the soft toy down? It’s kind of ruining the mood.”

What mood? Jaehyun reluctantly puts the little Pooh on the study desk before sitting on the bed in a lotus position. His gaze zooms onto the covers.

Amused by the display of sheer embarrassment, Taeyong sits as well facing Jaehyun. “Why do we look like we’re going to meditate? Loosen up, vampire. You’re making me feel like I’m the dangerous one here.”

Jaehyun looks up at him. “Am I making you feel like you’re in danger?”

“Honestly? At times, yes. Earlier, yes. But listen, I kind of wanna try something.”

“What is it?”

“I think it’ll be hard for us to, you know, be _physical_ with each other. Because your skin is cold and I easily get cold. Even hugging seems a far-away dream.” Taeyong scoffs. “That sounds poetic. Bottomline, I got turned on by the thought of you feeding on me so I wanna make out with you tonight and see if I can take it? We don’t have to touch. Just kiss. And I’m not saying you should suck my blood ‘cause I’m still unsure about that. I’m just really horny and I wanna kiss you.” He takes a deep breath, eyeing Jaehyun’s shirt. “Or we could touch, barely, as long as I don’t freeze up.”

He’s not even making sense anymore.

But there is no time to dwell on it, especially when he feels the soft touch of lips against his. Jaehyun’s kisses are warm despite the temperature of his body.

Taeyong stops thinking as he kisses him back. They’re brief at first, just pecks and sighs before gradually getting deeper. Jaehyun pulls away for a second to get rid of his own shirt and the room instantly feels a little cooler. In spite of that, Taeyong scoots close. His fingers lightly dance over Jaehyun’s thigh as they inch upwards until the side of his waist.

The vampire’s skin burns where the human’s fingers hover. Wet sounds of kissing fill the room, followed by the soft pants when a slick tongue laps at the other. Taeyong, riled up more than ever, pushes Jaehyun to his back ‘til his own forearms flatted down the bed. With legs on each side of the vampire, the prey cages its predator.

Jaehyun presses both palms on the mattress, having nothing else to grip. He is allowed, but he’s uncertain. The degree of lust deliberately growing like a nurtured plant holds no guarantee as to how much it wants to take. Above him, Taeyong moans softly as he sucks on the vampire’s lower lip.

“You can hold me,” Taeyong whispers against his boyfriend’s mouth, tongue delving in to experimentally run along Jaehyun’s teeth. “Just for a moment, hold me.”

Hold him, Jaehyun does. Taeyong bites back a moan when the heat of his own body clashes with Jaehyun’s. Soft fingers press on his waist and back like he was a grand piano and making out with Jaehyun is their own, sweet melody. The vampire traces Taeyong’s spine, digging from top to bottom before cupping a clothed butt cheek. Jaehyun prods the limit by dragging down Taeyong’s body.

Bare torsos now touching, a sign that they have to break free. However, no one does. Taeyong cants his hips, cock hard in the confines of his pants. A bitter slap to his ego when he feels that Jaehyun’s still flaccid.

“Fuck,” he curses, lips now trailing kisses down Jaehyun’s throat. He’s a little annoyed but still turned on, so he thrusts against the vampire harder. His fingers pinch Jaehyun’s nipple, tweaking and tugging until he pulls out a whine. A smug smile appear on Taeyong’s face before the same nipple disappears in his mouth.

It’s cold, but not like he assumed. As a matter of fact, Jaehyun’s torso seems to be warming up. Taeyong glances at the other’s face and sees the overt pleasure etched on it. At that moment, a hand sneaks its way over the vampire’s crotch to massage it.

Taeyong elicits a shaky breath when he feels it harden. Continuously, he palms the growing hard-on. He’s gotten too lost in it that he fails to notice the way Jaehyun’s body isn’t freezing anymore. Like the human’s, it’s hot to the touch. Taeyong is just about to tug on Jaehyun’s zipper when it dawns on him.

“What…?” He pushes himself up, eyeing the vampire in disbelief. “How?”

Jaehyun’s gold eyes are blown with lust. He doesn’t have any explanation as to how it happened, but he doesn’t care. It’s the least of his current concerns. How is he going to think straight when his beautiful Taeyong is touching him like this? None of his surroundings register to him except for the man he’s holding.

“Kiss me, please. Taeyong…”

A moan tears through him as Taeyong’s lips assault Jaehyun’s deliciously. Warmer hands push his pants down and he does the same to the vampire’s. Now both equally naked as the day they were born and Jaehyun’s defect gone with the wind, Taeyong wraps his fingers around the latter’s thick cock. Their mouths sever for a moment so he could look down and ogle, licking his lips at the sight of uncut hair on Jaehyun’s crotch. It’s fucking sexy, how it gets thin just below the navel.

“I wanna suck you off.” Taeyong’s mouth waters.

Jaehyun curses under his breath before nodding, parting his legs to give way for Taeyong. “I thought you didn’t want to have sex just yet? What happened to only making out?”

“Shut the hell up, bloodsucker. You’re not freezing anymore so I can do whatever I want, alright? Do you want this?” Pressing a kiss to the tip of that dick curved a little to the left, Taeyong looks up at Jaehyun. They both want it, obviously. But he still has to ask. Can’t make the same mistake that pig did to him a year ago. “Want me to give you a head?”

“Are you asking for permission?”

“Yes.”

Jaehyun’s head falls back to the pillow and an arm rests over his eyes. It’s too much. Seeing Taeyong about to put that in his mouth is too much. “ _Please._ ”

He doesn’t need to be told twice. Wet, suckling noises sing to the vampire as Taeyong swallows his length in one go. The human has no gag reflex. Jaehyun’s cock slides far, all the way in until Taeyong’s nose is tickled by the vampire’s pubic hair. Teeth graze gently up his length when Taeyong pulls back to get some air, and then all too soon he’s deep throating Jaehyun again.

Losing all control, Jaehyun starts fucking Taeyong’s mouth. Their eyes meet, blazing gold to pitch black. The low light catches on to the vampire’s fangs, now an inch long. He badly wants them to sink down the juncture between Taeyong’s neck and shoulder, to stab through his pulse and drink in gulps of deep red blood but it can wait. His hunger can wait another day. Tomorrow, he needs to find a way to quench that thirst.

Ropes of white then fill the human’s waiting mouth. Taeyong releases it, swallowing before sticking out his tongue to catch the rest. Some land on his cheek and chin, and what falls on his lips is quickly lapped up.

Jaehyun growls as he pulls Taeyong by the armpits until the human is sitting on his abdomen. He wastes no time in taking the neglected shaft, pumping it eagerly. Taeyong, pliant and in the brink of glorious pleasure, cries out the vampire’s name. Head thrown back, he fucks into Jaehyun’s hand once, twice, the pleasure stacking up high, and then his mind goes blank as he shoots his load.

“Oh God,” Taeyong looks down, gathers the come on Jaehyun’s chest with two fingers and smears it on the vampire’s lips. “Taste me,” he says, pushing those fingers in and hissing when a fang scrapes the skin and leaves a tiny, shallow cut. No blood drawn.

Like a good boyfriend, Jaehyun eats everything he is fed. He whispers an apology for that small injury he inflicted. When his chest is free of Taeyong’s mess, he lets the man get off of him.

Taeyong picks up his shirt on the floor and uses it to clean themselves. “We got carried away, didn’t we?” Body still tingling from postcoital bliss, mind hazy from an amazing orgasm, he drapes himself over his boyfriend and touches the latter’s fang. He has no idea what doing that entails, especially when the vampire’s senses are amplified and the smell of surging blood permeates the air. “I think I’m drunk, Jaehyun. It felt good. Did you feel good?”

“Mm…” Jaehyun runs his fingers through Taeyong’s hair, soothingly scratching on the scalp when the latter’s eyes start fluttering close. “You’ll actually feel drunk when I drink from you.”

“Really?” Tired and sleepy, Taeyong remains where he is. It’s been a while since the last time he had sex. He can still feel the weight of Jaehyun’s cock in his mouth, how it punches his now sore throat. He can still taste him when he swallows some spit. It’s already too electrifying, what more when Jaehyun fills him up where he likes it most and bites his throat? Might be heavenly death in the hands of a sinning saint.

“Go to sleep.”

“Will you be here tomorrow?”

“I promise.”

Not even a minute later, Jaehyun is listening to soft snores. His body is still warm as though it never knew what it’s like to be ice cold. It’s like he’s almost human. He pushes the thought away because it’s impossible. It’s impossible, isn’t it? How many times had he asked one of the council members regarding the reversal of a vampire and got thrown in the dungeon for ‘enabling betrayal’? That was what they kept saying. They said it’s traitorous. They said he should fully embrace his new life. Jaehyun never did.

A thumb presses down Taeyong’s throat where the pulsing of his heart is strongest. Taking in a deep breath, Jaehyun takes control of his urges. Bloodlust, he fears it. It happened to him countless times as a _newborn_ , and it was messy. Four hundred years later, he can still hear the howls of pain from the poor humans.

Regret hits him like a freight train. It nearly knocks him off, and Jaehyun hugs Taeyong tight to keep himself grounded. No, he won’t hurt the innocent man in his arms. Whatever happens, he won’t let Taeyong suffer.

_I won’t._

Something flits past the windows.

_They can’t hurt him as long as I’m here._

Morning greets them too soon. Jaehyun’s body is back to its freezing temperature. Taeyong showers quickly and then Jaehyun occupies the bathroom when he’s done.

“You should stop stealing clothes. Were these even clean when you took them?” Taeyong picks up the vampire’s shirt and pants, dumping them in the hamper. He gets a muffled _yes!_ from the bathroom.

Jaehyun comes out later wearing a hoodie and basketball shorts from Taeyong’s closet and follows the smell of ramen. “It’s nice to shower properly for once…”

“Where do you take showers if you’re not here?”

“At the same house where I stole the clothes from. They have 7 bathrooms! So even if the family was there, they wouldn’t know. They probably got lost in their own house once.”

Taeyong transfers the ramen in two bowls and hands Jaehyun a pair of chopsticks, as well as a spoon before sitting down. “Can you eat ramen?”

“I think so. Only pureblood vampires cannot stomach human food. But this is not my favorite. We still have the salad take-away, right?”

“Would you rather eat that?”

“Maybe later. Thank you for the food, Taeyong.” Jaehyun smiles, dimples popping out before digging in his food. His pain tolerance is off the roof so even though the food is still hot, he has no qualms slurping the noodles and the soup.

They eat their breakfast in silence before Taeyong asks _the_ question that has been ringing in his head since he woke up. “So, your body warms up when you’re horny?”

It doesn’t bother the vampire who merely nods before stuffing his mouth with more noodles. So much for it not being his favorite.

“Does it mean you’ve never felt turned on for 400 years? Because you didn’t know! Wow,” Taeyong watches his boyfriend sympathetically. “That’s so sad.”

“Not really,” the vampire says while chewing. “There was no need to do it with someone. Then you happened.” He swallows his food, looking at Taeyong over the rim of his bowl as he drinks the soup. Some drips on the table, and then he puts the bowl down. “I can see spider veins on your face. Your heart is beating too fast.”

Taeyong frowns from being caught. “Are you also reading my mind?”

“Not right now. Only if I want to. I can listen to people’s thoughts whenever I want.”

“Do you hear your fellow vampires?”

“No.”

“Hmm,” the human hums while in deep thought. He quickly finishes his breakfast before pouring water in glasses, one for him and one for Jaehyun. “Do you have other flaws aside from literally heating up when you’re horny?” For some reason, it sounds hilarious when he said it out loud. Taeyong laughs, spitting his water back in the glass before spilling it in the sink in disgust.

The vampire pouts, not finding it funny. “None that I know of. I mean, we only discovered that last night. And I don’t see it as a flaw. I must be special, right?” He taps a finger over his lip while thinking, trying to remember if he ever encountered a special vampire back in the council.

“Mm, you must be.” Taeyong puts the glass on the rack to dry after washing it. He whips around, looking all hyped about something. “Hey! It means you can put _it_ in my ass!”

Jaehyun almost falls off the chair.

Brows now furrowed, Taeyong steadies his boyfriend in his seat. “W-why? I only didn’t wanna do it because I thought it would be like shoving a popsicle inside. Now that we know that’s not the case…” Taeyong shrugs. “Anyway, last night…did you feel like biting me? I saw your fangs but I didn’t get scared, surprisingly.” The memories are fresh in his mind and Taeyong feels all the emotions once again. However, the feeling of fear is absent. Strange.

The vampire pins him a knowing look. “You were too horny to get scared.”

The human can only chuckle sheepishly.

“But yes, I wanted to bite you. You still won’t let me, huh? I’m not going to kill you…”

“I know that,” Taeyong says as he rubs the back of his neck, smiling apologetically. “But I need to be ready for it.”

Okay. Jaehyun understands that. He can wait. The weight of intimacy that biting a partner brings has to be carried for the rest of their lives, so they both need to be sure of it. He’s a romantic vampire, so it means a lot to him. The others don’t treat it the same as he does.

Right then, the doorbell rings. “Huh, I’m not expecting any visitors.” Taeyong exchanges a look with Jaehyun, who suddenly becomes alert remembering what he felt last night. But just as he’s about to stop Taeyong from answering the door, the human is already walking to get it, and in comes a man and woman, obviously not vampires.

“Mom? Dad?” Taeyong gives his parents a hug. “What brings you here?”

“Can’t we visit our son? We missed you!” Mrs. Lee squishes Taeyong’s cheeks, peppering his face with kisses as one does to a spoiled child. “Don’t you miss your dad and I?”

Mr. Lee shakes his head and finally notices Jaehyun’s presence. “Taeyong, who is this…?”

“Oh, um…” Through a look that hopefully Jaehyun understands the meaning of, Taeyong tells him _don’t let them touch you_ before chuckling awkwardly. “That’s my boyfriend…”

His parents look at him, obviously shocked.

“What. I didn’t tell you?”

“You didn’t!” Mrs. Lee exclaims before walking over to Jaehyun with open arms to hug him. “Oh, what a handsome boy! Nice to meet you–” She stops, confused when Jaehyun takes a huge step back.

Taeyong rushes over to the vampire and clutches Jaehyun’s arm. “He’s sick, mom. He’s got a contagious flu.”

“Then why are you touching him?” Squinting, she puts both hands on her hips. “Did you already give him a medicine?”

“Yes, mom. But I can touch him ‘cause I’m young and my immune system is _fire._ Not sure about you oldies…”

Mr. Lee quickly covers his wife’s mouth with a hand, knowing that she’s going to start an indignant tirade and they will never hear the end of it. He greets Jaehyun kindly and tugs the woman back to the living room.

Taeyong’s parents lounged in the apartment until lunch. Because Mrs. Lee’s around, she was the one that cooked their food and Taeyong almost cries, missing her cooking so much. They didn’t comment on Jaehyun’s diet, respecting his preference to eat leafy vegetables. In fact, Taeyong’s mother even praised him for being a vegetarian and told her son to be like Jaehyun.

_If they only knew._

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell us you’re dating. How could you hide such a handsome boy from us? You can’t possibly be ashamed of him. Look at his eyes! Are you sure you’re not mixed?” Mrs. Lee turns to Jaehyun as they gather their things before leaving.

Jaehyun has his hands behind his back. “No, ma’am. I’m Korean.”

“Impressive. Your looks match our Taeyong’s, right?”

“Honey, let’s go. We still need to meet with the Hans.” Mr. Lee takes her bag before looking at Taeyong, face a little serious. “If you break another expensive gaming console, you’ll sell this apartment and we won’t take you back. Do you understand?”

Taeyong salutes. “I promise!”

The boyfriends walk Taeyong’s parents outside. “Be careful mom, dad.”

“Yes, you too. Take care of yourself.”

Taeyong waves at them before walking back inside the house. Jaehyun stays outside for a while out of politeness, wanting to wait ‘til the parents drive away.

Suddenly, Mr. Lee approaches Jaehyun. “Jaehyun, I didn’t say this inside because it would embarrass my son but, we’re glad that he has someone with him. We frequently worried since he’s living alone. Can you promise me that you’ll take care of him? I’m asking this, a man to another. If you hurt my son, you’ll pay for it. You understand that much, right?”

The vampire nods in assurance. “Yes, sir. I promise. I will never hurt him.”

“That’s great.” Mr. Lee softens up after hearing that. “Well, we have to go now. It was nice meeting you.”

Jaehyun forgets to be careful. It’s too late to avoid it – Mr. Lee is already patting his arm once, stiffening when he touches the vampire’s cold skin.

Taeyong’s father looks at his own hand, expression hard to read. He then looks back at Jaehyun and plasters a tight-lipped smile, before walking back to the car.

When the car disappears from his sight, only then do Jaehyun’s legs come to life and lead him inside the apartment.

He lies through his teeth when Taeyong asks him what’s wrong.

 _What was that,_ Jaehyun paces back and forth in the living room, glad that Taeyong decided to lock himself up in his room to study. _It can’t be…_

When the father touched him, he expected the man to freak out. Rumors about the existence of vampires isn’t new, and them being cold is the most obvious evidence that will prove their nature. Yet Mr. Lee remained calm.

And when their eyes met again, Jaehyun felt an inexplicable connection. He doesn’t know what it means, but he feels some familiarity towards Taeyong’s father. He can’t be wrong, even though the man’s face was blank, Jaehyun _heard._

_He knows I’m a vampire._

But how is he so calm, so collected? Why didn’t he say anything?

Jaehyun plops on the couch, head in both hands. This isn’t something to ignore. He needs to talk to Mr. Lee again.

A week passes by that nothing strange happens. Taeyong attends his classes, goes home and finds the vampire watching a documentary on TV. One afternoon, Jaehyun expresses the desire to get a puppy.

While Taeyong’s out, Jaehyun roams their street to see if there’s anything suspicious loitering in the area. He sees nothing. He’s probably just being paranoid. Each day that goes by and he catches no one, he eventually convinces himself that the shadow that night was simply a figment of imagination.

He only has two concerns left: he doesn’t know where Taeyong’s father lives, and he cannot contain his hunger anymore.

It’s been too long since he last drank blood. A vampire can only endure a given period of time without feeding. Once they feel the thirst for blood, they can either quench it with a temporary substitute for a while or go berserk, the latter being the only option for pureblood vampires.

Jaehyun is long past the time to stay sane. The salad doesn’t cut it anymore. Not even the ramen. His body no longer accepts human food.

He tries to hold on to the last thread of his sanity until one day, it snaps.

Taeyong comes home from his class, shivering as he closes the door. “Today is even colder! I don’t think winter is ever going to end. It’s the work of climate change, isn’t it?” Briskly, he walks past Jaehyun to make some coffee. “I don’t think I wanna go to class tomorrow. But I’m gonna lose some credit and I need it to qualify for internship next semester.” He pushes the button on the coffee maker and takes off his coat. “What did you do while I was gone? Don’t tell me you’ve been watching TV since morning. My bills are going to make me cry.”

Jaehyun’s head doesn’t move from the tight clutch of his hands.

The human eyes him warily, pouring the coffee in a mug. “Jaehyun? You okay?” He walks back to the living room and kneels in front of the vampire, putting his mug next to him. Jaehyun has never been like this and it worries Taeyong since he doesn’t know how to deal with a sad Jaehyun. “Baby? What’s troubling you?”

He doesn’t know what to expect, but certainly not how Jaehyun growls at him angrily, gold eyes sharp and glowing. Taeyong falls on his ass in shock, knocking over his steaming coffee. The drink spills on the floor and burns his hand.

“Shit,” Taeyong gets distracted by the pain quickly spreading from the burnt area. He picks up the mug and hurries back to the kitchen, only to trip over his own feet and hit the floor pathetically. The mug shatters to pieces.

Scared and close to tears, Taeyong sits up and shakily collects the broken parts of the mug. A sharp piece slices his thumb, drawing blood. The danger it entails slips his mind, but not for long. The metal knob of the cabinet digs in his back painfully when gets shoved all of a sudden. Taeyong’s head hits the concrete above and he’s blinded for a second before a new gush of pain spreads all over him.

Taeyong vaguely registers his wrist being held in a vice-like grip until his vision clears and he sees Jaehyun kneeling before him, looking like he wants to rip Taeyong’s limb and devour it.

Saliva drips from the corner of Jaehyun’s mouth. His eyes possess no softness in them as the vampire in him takes over. Fangs peeking out of his mouth, Jaehyun pants like a mad dog as he brings Taeyong’s hand on his face, inhaling as much as he can of the sweet, sweet blood. His chest balloons, stomach concaving as the riveting scent fills his lungs. When he pulls away, a stripe of red sticks on his cheek.

Taeyong looks at him, vision blurry with tears. “Jaehyun,” he calls out softly, hoping for his boyfriend to come to his senses. But how, he never noticed how Jaehyun has been suffering by himself. _I’m so selfish. I refused him a basic need to live. Why would he come back to me?_

The vampire’s blown pupils do not look away from the mouthwatering sight. Jaehyun’s tongue presses against the blunt fang that prickles the soft patty of flesh. He continues to emit low growls, reduced to a starved animal.

“Jaehyun, look at me,” Taeyong knows he could die if he so much as makes a wrong move. Even so, he cups Jaehyun’s face with his good hand, whimpering when the vampire jerks his head at him. “Baby it’s me, Taeyong. Do you hear me? You promised me, right? You said you won’t kill me...”

The vampire catches a drop of blood from the cut and smears it over his tongue, before curling to a pained hunch. The noise that rips out of him doesn’t sound like that of exhilaration from tasting blood, but of anguish. He must be _that_ famished that feeding _aches_ rather than _relieves._

He’s scared, but he’s more scared for Jaehyun. Taeyong has read a lore that a vampire might die from untended bloodlust. What if Jaehyun is already in the brink of the death? How much of his blood would save the vampire? Would five greedy gulps be enough? Six? Eight? Ten?

Will he have to be drained to keep Jaehyun _alive_?

Taeyong leans in, pressing his forehead against Jaehyun’s before closing his eyes. As he does so, tears roll down his face. “Baby, I’ll let you drink from me, okay?” _Even if I’m not ready._ “After that, will you please come back to me?”

Jaehyun quiets down. He pants slowly, loosening his grip on Taeyong’s wrist. For a moment, everything seems to be peaceful.

But Taeyong is nothing but a fool.

A scream bounces off the walls as Jaehyun grabs his throat and slams him back against the cabinet. Sharp nails dig on the sides of his neck, the vampire seizes him like he wants to crush his trachea. Taeyong begins to turn blue from lack of oxygen.

“Jae….hyun…”

Jaehyun’s fangs are a millimeter away from sinking through the human’s hand. But before they do, something within him prevents the strong force of nature to devour his next meal and then he’s throwing himself off of the human, back hitting the edge of the table. His eyes dim, the clouds in his head part or the return of rationality.

His dead heart breaks into a million fragments the second he realizes what he’s done.

“Taeyong,”

However, no matter how many times he says the other’s name, Taeyong cannot hear him. Jaehyun hesitantly kneels and presses a finger to Taeyong’s neck, feeling for a pulse.

When he feels the first, weak beat, Jaehyun takes the man’s phone out of his pocket and looks for an emergency contact. He reads ‘ambulance’ and calls the number.

_“Seoul National Uni–”_

“Please help me. M-my friend won’t wake up. Please send an ambulance…”

_“Alright, sir. Is your friend breathing?”_

“Yes, but his pulse is weak.”

_“We will send an ambulance right away. Please give us the exact address and wait until help arrives.”_

When the paramedics arrive, Taeyong is the only one they find.

He wakes up to the beeping of machines on his left. Taeyong won’t forget the smell of hospitals. He was a sickly kid, so he spent most of his vacation in the same, white room. They all look alike.

Mrs. Lee calls for a doctor to examine him. His father is quiet while he’s being checked up. Taeyong was asphyxiated, the doctor confirmed earlier. Dark bruises form around the skin of his neck and every time he takes a deep breath, pain throbs. The doctor gives him painkillers and advises him to sleep.

Taeyong stays awake. His mother cries while holding his hand. Still, Mr. Lee doesn’t open his mouth. His eyes are a blank slate. Must be the shock brought by the news. His mother asks him what happened, but Taeyong shakes his head.

He doesn’t want to remember. He only wants to see Jaehyun, tell him he’s not mad. He’s not scared. He wants to apologize for not giving the vampire what he needs. If he only let Jaehyun drink from him sooner, this wouldn’t happen.

“Where’s Jaehyun, honey? He should know that you’re here…”

“…He went back to his family in Jeju, mom. I’ll be fine. Some…burglar attacked me. Let’s leave it there. If we tell him, he’s going to worry. His family needs him.”

Taeyong knows that Jaehyun has no family to go home to. They’re all dead. But he can’t tell them the truth. He’ll be discharged soon enough anyway, and Jaehyun will come back to him.

Jaehyun doesn’t come back. One day, two days, three days later. Taeyong leaves the hospital and returns to the empty apartment. Mr. and Mrs. Lee file a report so the authorities can conduct an investigation within the neighborhood. Unfortunately, Taeyong’s apartment is on a blind spot of the CCTV so there’s no way to see who broke in and attacked him. Moreover, nothing is missing in his house. For now, they tell Taeyong that it could be someone that has a personal vendetta against him. 

His parents insist on staying in the apartment for a while but Taeyong rejects them. What if Jaehyun comes back and they can’t pretend they’re okay? He assures them that he’ll be fine, and that if he notices anything weird, he will call the police.

“I learned self-defense, mom.”

“But you couldn’t even use those! You almost broke your neck!”

“I didn’t, you’re just exaggerating.”

“I am! What if it happens again?”

“It won’t. Can you please go now? I’m tired…”

Two weeks later, he’s still alone in the house. Taeyong’s life is back to how it was before Jaehyun came. Dull, meaningless. He hasn’t graduated yet so he can’t apply for a good job. He has not made his own money yet, so he can’t travel the world. Musicals are boring to watch without a companion. Everything he wants to do are better off done with a partner. He doesn’t know when he started including Jaehyun in his dreams, but he can’t erase the other now. Jaehyun has become a permanent fixture that he cannot get ahold of, ironically.

When a whole month passes by, and Spring sprinkles its magic for the flowers to grow, Taeyong stops waiting.

The creak of rusty gates opening pulls Jaehyun out of trance. He watches a prison guard enter and drop a bowl of crimson liquid on the cold, hard ground. The blood sloshes and spills over the bowl. When he hears the familiar click of the gate’s lock, signaling that he’s left alone, he bows his head until his face dips in his meal. Jaehyun quickly gulps the blood, sipping ‘til the last drop before resting against the bricked wall. He would’ve used his hands to lift the bowl to his face but they’re shackled, as well as his ankles.

His clothes are torn. He doesn’t need them. They will tear it off his body tomorrow morning for the daily punishment – torture by exposure. The cave-like mansion is situated in the belly of the woods where the sun shines bright no matter the season. For his punishment, he is dragged into a desolated room with a hole in the ceiling to let the sun in. They leave him there to burn, and when his skin begins peeling and evaporating into specks of dust, they haul him back to the dungeon to regenerate. He heals and the torture restarts.

It’s a curse to be immortal. Worse when you find a way to die but they won’t let you.

The council has always resented him ever since a pureblood member took pity and turned him into one of them. They said he’s unworthy, a lowlife. Came from the bottom of society. It is true. When he was still human, Jaehyun was the son of a slave. Since it’s against the vampire laws to kill their kind who’s not an enemy and did not commit a crime, they cannot get rid of him. At least, they took him with them when they had to travel and immerse into the changing cultures of the world. Still, he remained locked up in mansions wherever they went. It felt like being jailed in different prisons.

He never accepted the vampire life. Jaehyun loathed it, detested it with all his dead heart. The council hated him even more when he showed interest in rejoining the human race. They said it was risky, perilous, threatening. If he escaped, he would rat them out, he would have the humans obliterate them. Jaehyun didn’t wish it then, he just wanted to become human again. Right now, it’s everything that he wants to do once he gets out of this hellhole – aside from being with Taeyong again.

Taeyong, his beautiful Taeyong. Jaehyun wishes to say sorry, he didn’t mean it. But he hopes that Taeyong won’t forgive him. What he did was unforgivable. He almost killed his beloved after telling him he would never. What a liar he is. A big fucking liar.

Did Taeyong survive? He asks himself everyday for the whole month. A member of the council had been lurking outside of Taeyong’s apartment and immediately abducted an unsuspecting Jaehyun. He was right, it was one of them that owned that shadow. They found him, had been watching him and waiting for the right time to take him back. They told him they were ready to hurt the human if it meant Jaehyun returning to his kind. Jaehyun hates them even more. They don’t want him yet they also refuse him freedom.

It’s the long-standing hatred that is motivating him to flee. 400 years is enough to compensate for the stain he caused their lineage.

Tomorrow, he’s going to put an end to it. Once and for all.

“Get up there, you fucking miscreant. Time for your breakfast.” The prison guard sing-songs happily, freeing him from the shackles. Two of them flank him as they head to the torture room.

Jaehyun’s hands curl into fists. The prison guards are weak vampires, equivalent to slaves of the human society. They may be natural born bloodsuckers, but the venomous blood that sits stagnant in Jaehyun’s veins is from a pureblood, noble vampire. He is tenfold stronger physically.

Molten gold eyes shift left and right. They’re nearing a passage that leads to the back of the mansion where the servants are. It’s his only chance to escape because after the torture, he’ll be too weak to move. Regenerating is an absolute pain in the ass.

He mentally counts down from 3. When he reaches 1, Jaehyun stealthily grabs the guard on his right and rips his throat out, decapitating him. The other guard reaches for his head and Jaehyun dodges to the side, grabs him by the scruff of his neck before opening his jaw to the widest angle, fangs sinking down the guard’s throat. He tears the flesh off like a frenzied lion and lets another head roll on the floor like a dice.

Blood coats his tongue and Jaehyun spits it out. No one tastes as good as Taeyong.

He has brought them to their deathbeds so quickly that he knows none of the others heard a thing. Running out of time, Jaehyun takes the passageway to the very back of the mansion and easily knocks out everyone on his way.

_Shouldn’t have waited for a month, but they threatened that if I escaped again, they would hurt Taeyong._

The council cannot be trusted. On top of that, Taeyong doesn’t deserve to be neglected just like that. No matter what happens, Jaehyun won’t leave his side ever again.

Yuta hikes the strap of his bag and walks out of the door. “Presentation will be in a week, if you think we need to change something, let me know.” He looks Taeyong up and down and sighs. “Are you really okay? You look like a zombie.”

The corner of Taeyong’s mouth lifts up to create a pathetic smile. “Thank you for worrying about me. Our project is ready, so you don’t need to stay up late overthinking the nitty gritty. How’s the PS5?”

“It’s _insane._ We should play together after the presentation.”

After murmuring a goodbye, Taeyong retreats to his apartment and starts cleaning up. Not even a minute later, it opens and closes again.

“Did you forget something?”

He expects to see Yuta but the man in front of him looks nowhere near his friend. The vampire’s body is burnt and scarred. There’s dried blood coating Jaehyun’s mouth and neck, and his eyes are the loving pair that Taeyong is used to seeing instead of those that regarded him with demonic hunger before Jaehyun disappeared.

Thirty seconds tick by – Jaehyun hears the clock clearly. Five feet apart, they stare at each other wordlessly. The atmosphere shifts into a flare of longing, regret, anger, misery. But most of all, they both just wish to hold each other once again.

There’s no use getting mad over the events of the past. Taeyong is the first to approach, shaky hands landing on Jaehyun’s scarred and cold shoulders. He wants to ask what happened, why he didn’t return sooner, but they don’t matter. Perhaps, the most consequential thing to do is embrace him even if it’s going to numb his body.

And that, Taeyong does. Taeyong hugs him so tight. Blood and grime stick to his skin. He doesn’t care. Jaehyun smells unpleasantly. He doesn’t care. Jaehyun is hugging him back just as tight and that’s all he wants and needs.

“Jaehyun, Jaehyun, what took you so long?” Taeyong says to the vampire’s unwounded skin.

Jaehyun kisses the side of Taeyong’s head over and over, chest constricting. “Why aren’t you angry? I’m so sorry, Taeyong. But please don’t forgive me. Don’t forgive me.” He breaks the hug and tips the human’s chin. “Did it not break? Does it hurt?”

“It doesn’t hurt. It hurts here more than anything.” Taeyong takes the vampire’s hand and places it over his heart. “I’m not mad, Jaehyun. You lost control but you didn’t kill me. You heard my voice, right? It’s how you stopped it…” Taeyong blinks the tears away, and for the first time in a month, feels a genuine smile creep on his face. “I just wanted you back, that’s all. But I have to be honest with you. I stopped waiting. I thought you would never return.”

He hates it. He hates this. He hates seeing Taeyong cry. Jaehyun wipes the tears away with his thumbs and kisses Taeyong’s forehead. “I’m sorry. They said they would hurt you if I escaped again. But I missed you so much. Taeyong, will you stay with me even through nightmare? They’re going to look for me. Any minute now, they will come here.”

“What are you talking about? Is this how you got these scars?”

Jaehyun sits on the couch, pulling Taeyong with him. He begins explaining from the root cause of his death, and how he was turned and kept imprisoned by the council for 400 years before he got fed up and fled. He didn’t skip their hatred and desire to make him suffer ‘til immortality gives up on him.

“They think that if you stayed with me, if you lived with humans, you’re going to snitch on them?”

“Yes. We may be strong but there’s not a lot of us here. And we don’t even need to be outnumbered by humans and shot by your guns to wilt. The sun alone can wipe us out.”

Taeyong lightly touches a scabbing wound. “You ran under the sunlight without a shirt, Jaehyun.”

“They burned me everyday, I am used to it. I heal quickly.” Jaehyun takes the human’s hand and lays a few kisses on his palm. “I love you.”

The vampire smiles against Taeyong’s palm when he hears a gasp, followed later on by four words he only hears when he daydreams.

“I love you too…”

Contrary to his fears, none of the council members tail him. Jaehyun never lets Taeyong disappear from his sight. Where he goes, the vampire follows. If Taeyong is in class, Jaehyun stands under the waiting shed by the university gates like a guard dog, eyes glued to the same building where his boyfriend is. He’s become a second shadow. It’s a little inconvenient when the human needs to meet up with classmates in the library one Saturday afternoon because he acts a little weird, stiff and alert that even the sound of chair scraping against the floor has him jerking his head to it.

Jaehyun’s hearing seems to have gotten sharper. Every intake of breath, heavy exhale and stuttered laughter sends him into an internal frenzy. Taeyong has to apologize because the sight of Jaehyun almost snapping his neck towards any suspicious sound freaks the hell out of his pitiful classmates.

“He used to be a contortionist so if you see him turning his head 360 degrees, don’t mind it.”

Even unloading his bladder has to be within Jaehyun’s field of vision. Taeyong sighs and shrugs it off. He needs to get used to it because according to the vampire, it’s for his own good.

Thinking about it, it’s probably wise to be together every second of the day especially in public. If the other vampires were smart, they wouldn’t attack where there’s a lot of people. Taeyong always makes sure to bring an umbrella to protect Jaehyun from the harsh sunlight when they walk outside. Spring isn’t as merciful as winter.

It’s only _slightly_ unsettling when the moon is hung overhead because its light won’t burn the vampires – it calls for them. _Slightly,_ because Taeyong knows that he is safe with Jaehyun. The past is over. Two days after they reunited, the vampire decided that he could break in a blood bank instead. Once a month, he will steal two bags of blood and make up for its absence with salad. Salad works when he’s not in the brink of insanity. He needs to monitor it thoroughly so that even if Taeyong gets injured again, he wouldn’t go mad and inflict fatal harm – Jaehyun would put a stake through his heart himself.

The world calls his kind a monster. It’s understandable, he holds no grudge against the human race. If he’d be honest, he would encourage them to hunt down every bloodsucker hiding in the night. Because as long as the vampires exist, there will be no peace. People will continue to vanish without a trace. A mad vampire will ruthlessly turn another human for the sake of it. Then they will multiply ‘til there are more undead than alive.

The council finally makes its presence known later in the most _natural_ fashion. Traditional and predictable. Vicious and macabre. News reports about three corpses in the city play on every channel. On a different occasion, a murder case would be just another unfortunate event. What makes _this_ murder case different are three reasons: The corpses show no physical signs of distress or assault, the bodies have been drained of blood yet there are no wounds that would show how it was sucked out of them, and last but not the least, they all have tiny holes punctured on their necks.

Superstitions have no place in court. However, this case tells a new story. A story that Jaehyun knows all too well.

Trusting only himself during this time, he brings Taeyong with him when he talks to the council. There’s no saying that none of them would stay away from the human if he’s left alone. It’s better to face this together.

“I see that you received the message.”

“Clear and concise,” Jaehyun wraps an arm around Taeyong’s waist. Before them sits the head of the vampire council. The place they are in is the mansion’s function hall where the higherups’ social meetings are held. Windows are scarce, making it dark and depressing. The low, yellowish light coming from the huge chandelier does nothing to recede the somber ambiance. “You didn’t have to kill those people…”

“But how else are you going to come back? None of us can exactly roam outside in daytime. We’d hate to make efforts blending in. You, on the other hand, are fearless. Will you ever shed the human in you?” The council head quietly huffs, regarding Jaehyun with an impression of concern. Jaehyun knows better. They are very much insouciant. “Time and time I forgave your insolence, but your audacity is an unstoppable waterfall. It overflowed and this human must have drowned, drifted with you. Is he a peace offering?”

Taeyong grips the sleeve of Jaehyun’s shirt, trembling in fear. Behind them is a horde of bloodsuckers, in case Jaehyun does something stupid. There is no place to hide himself away from them. He keeps his eyes straight ahead, glad at least that the council leader is only looking at Jaehyun. _Am I that repulsive that they’d rather acknowledge him alone, even if he was a traitor?_

Jaehyun’s arm tightens around Taeyong and raises his head high. He can’t let them sense the trepidation threading through his body. “I see no use keeping me here, Samael. Impure vampires are taboo, and you’d hate for the other clans to know that. When you exiled Malcolm for turning me, you should’ve thrown me away with him. Why didn’t you?”

Samael drums pale, thin fingers over the armrest of his seat. “I wanted to see if you could be trained. You might be impure, but you’re not mad. Malcolm was a pureblood, but he was insane. He’d keep turning humans. Though nurturing you proved to be in vain, because the remnants of his insanity slithered their way in your head. Or, have you always been crazy? Too crazy that we thought you were normal.”

“I am not going to expose you. Believe me. I don’t want to be associated to you. 400 years is enough, don’t you agree? 400 years later, I’m still the way I am. Still human. Samael, just let me go. There’s only one of me. If I decided to go against you, I would be easily killed. There is no use. You don’t have to harm the humans, just stick to the volunteers for your feeding.”

“We can’t allow one of us to live with these sickening creatures,” Samael grits his teeth as his crimson eyes land on Taeyong for the first time. “How trustworthy is this human anyway? You could swear with all your life, but we do not trust him. As long as you two are together, our existence is on the line.”

Taeyong whimpers indignantly. “I am not the one with lethal fangs!”

“Silence!” Samael shoots out of his seat, the hem of his long, black cloak dragging over the floor as he approaches the two. “We will not go through the same fear that almost crippled our lineage 23 years ago, Jaehyun.”

Jaehyun’s face crumples in bafflement. “What… This happened before?”

“Yes. A pureblood stupidly fell for a human and defected. You have no idea how much this clan worried every passing day. Until now, we are anxious. The council only wants to live in secret. If word goes out, we’d have to migrate. You understand how difficult that is, don’t you?”

“Where is that vampire now?” Jaehyun asks impatiently. If that vampire was allowed to leave, then so should he.

Samael scowls. “He doesn’t exist anymore.”

“…He’s dead?”

“He’s alive.” The council head looks at Taeyong again with an impenetrable countenance. “That pureblood sacrificed his nature to become human.” He steps closer to the human. “Isn’t this such a coincidence? You look so much like your father.”

Taeyong freezes. Coldness bites through Jaehyun’s clothes and settles in his bones. “My father–”

Ignoring him, Samael walks back to his seat with the practiced grace of a leader who has 2000 years tallied on the immortality’s scoreboard. “The success rate of vampires turning into humans is 1 out 10, Jaehyun. That 1 being this human’s traitorous father. The reason I never told you about it is because I know you will die anyway. To live for a long time is more favorable than taking such ignorant risk. Even if I don’t like you, I think it’s a waste to be–”

Jaehyun’s voice roars through the hall. “You don’t decide for me, Samael. You have never been my leader. Malcolm stole my life and ruined it enough that you have no more to break. Let me go. If that’s the only way I can soothe your worries, then I’ll do it.” Determination runs in his veins. “I promise you that when I step out of this mansion, you will never hear from me again. Erase my existence from the council’s record. You realize that the stunt you pulled outside leads more to your revelation than my wish to become human again, right?”

For the first time since they arrived, an emotion flits across the vampire leader’s face – resignation. “Mark my words, Jaehyun. The second we are hunted down, you know the price you have to pay. And you, human. Send my regards to your father. We haven’t forgotten yet, and we will not forget.” Samael glares at Taeyong before gesturing a guard to escort them out of the mansion.

Taeyong hasn’t yet uttered a single word. They’re back in the city and the noise of its hustle and bustle falls in deaf ears. He can’t wrap his head around the revelation that his father was once a vampire. What should he feel about it? He presses a hand on his chest, feeling the calm beating of his heart.

“Dad turned his back on his clan for mom,” his voice is soft from disbelief. “I can’t even be a little mad about it.”

“What would you be mad about? That he was like me?”

“No, that’s hypocritical. I’m in love with you. Do you think mom knows?”

“She has no idea. I could read her thoughts and none of them seemed to me that she knew what I was. As for your dad, I know now why he reacted like that when he touched me.”

Taeyong’s eyes widen. “What happened?”

Jaehyun sighs, linking their pinkies because he can’t hold his hand for a long time. He has hugged Taeyong so tight earlier, torturing his boyfriend with frost. “He froze up and looked at his hand, then walked away. I felt an instant connection with him that I couldn’t explain. Taeyong, do you think I’d survive? Your father was so brave.”

“And you are brave. When do you want to talk to him about this?”

“As soon as possible.”

Taeyong looks up the sky before closing his umbrella. “Then let’s go to my parents’ tomorrow.”

Luckily, his mom is on an emergency meeting with a client when Taeyong and Jaehyun arrived. To say that his father was understanding after hearing it all is an understatement. It looks like he was anticipating this already.

Mr. Lee clasps his hands together in deep thought as he recalls the memories of the past. “I survived through sheer luck, Jaehyun. I won’t encourage you to push through this, but I also won’t stop you. Before I tell you what needs to be done, I want you to understand that you could die.” He then looks at his son and holds Taeyong’s hand. “And I want you to understand that you could lose him.”

Taeyong doesn’t know if he could bear with such loss, but he can’t be selfish again. Jaehyun deserves another chance to live, to actually live. “I’ll be fine. You have to let Jaehyun try.”

“There is no trial here, Taeyong. Do it once and there are only two endings: he wakes up or not.”

Jaehyun makes Taeyong look at him, a cold finger under his chin. “Promise me something.”

“…What is it?”

“That no matter what happens, you’ll continue living. That even without me, you’ll work hard to live your dreams.”

The human’s eyes sting and his throat tightens. “But you’re now a part of them…”

“I will always be a part of them. Here,” Jaehyun taps Taeyong’s temple once. “And here.” He does the same to Taeyong’s chest, where his heart lies.

A lone tear falls free from Taeyong’s eye. He supposes they can’t truly have a happy ending. If Jaehyun stays a vampire, the council won’t leave him alone. He is an immortal. He will continue to look 20 years old as Taeyong wilts in his last days. Sooner or later, he will have to let go.

At least, they found each other.

That night, they find themselves in an underground dungeon in Gyeongju. It used to be a prison for the criminals back in Goryeo Dynasty. The prison was permanently closed when Joseon Dynasty began. Despite its closure, it has been maintained and preserved. Its history is not included in the books because of the rumors that stemmed from thousands and thousands of years ago. No one in the modern era can prove the existence of vampires then who ‘fed from the prisoners of Goryeo’. To avoid scandal, whether or not the hearsays are true, it was decided unanimously that this dungeon shall not be visited by anyone. Right now, no one is aware of it except for the government and the vampires themselves.

“So they definitely know that those three people were killed by the vampires?”

Mr. Lee nods. “No. They still don’t believe in the existence of vampires. For them, the rumors are nothing but unfounded grapevine. But they will never talk about this place because the people will be interested and try to uncover its secret. Our country cannot afford to be in the middle of an unpleasant conspiracy theory. The deaths of the three unfortunates…they will rule it as the work of some psychopath. One of these days the case will be closed.”

“Those humans could also be _the_ _volunteers._ When they wish to rescind the agreement with the council, they will be killed so they wouldn’t talk. Remember how the news said the corpses looked at peace? That might be because they accepted their fate. But usually, their bodies will be immediately burned. The council exposing them meant they were really trying to call my attention.”

They stop before a cell. Mr. Lee stands before it, facing them. “You only have to do two things, Jaehyun. You have to control your bloodlust for three days. Blood will be presented to you. Do your best not to give in. Once the hunger gets through your mind, it’s not the end. You will feel an excruciating pain equal to breaking half of your bones. It’s all in the mind, but bear with it. You will lose consciousness. If you wake up, then it’s successful. If not…”

Taeyong’s breath hitches.

Mr. Lee asks Jaehyun to break the cell’s lock before they get in. There’s a small opening above for ventilation. Attached to the wall are thick chains to hold the prisoner’s limbs. “This place is being maintained, so the chains are probably still as strong as before. But since you’re a vampire, it might not be able to hold you back for a long time. It’s a challenge for you. You have to fight the urge to flee. Remove your clothes.”

“Why?”

“You will vomit so much venomous blood out of your body. We need to avoid leaving evidence as much as possible.”

“Why didn’t you tell us? We could’ve packed a change for him.” Taeyong says.

Mr. Lee shrugs. “It slipped my mind.” He puts down the bag he’s carrying and takes out a notebook. Inside it is a ritual script that has to be recited to trigger a vampire’s bloodlust.

Taeyong rubs his arms, looking away. “You didn’t mention it because you’re not expecting him to survive. If he dies, we don’t have to dress him for his incineration.”

The clanking of chains resonates in the cell as Jaehyun, now bare, starts to shackle his feet. He looks at Taeyong for help after chaining one of his wrists.

“I can’t do it…”

Mr. Lee helps instead before retrieving a small ceramic cup and a knife. He approaches Taeyong, wordlessly asking for his son’s wrist. “We only need a few drops. It’s enough to test him.”

Taeyong readily offers his wrist, wincing softly when the blade cuts his skin. He watches the small cup get half-filled and then Mr. Lee’s bandaging his wound. “You may stay inside the cell until it’s time to leave, or you can go now if you want to see it.”

“I’ll stay…” Taeyong touches the bandage. “Who helped you when you did this, dad?”

“A fellow vampire. I do not know where he is now, if he’s still around.”

“What’s his name?” Jaehyun asks.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s a thing of the past. Are you ready?” Mr. Lee places the cup on the floor, two feet away from the vampire before opening the notebook.

The vampire meets his lover’s gaze, and nods firmly.

Taeyong’s mind must perform a trick on him. He swears he heard a phantom _I love you,_ carried by the cool night wind from the opening on the roof. Then his father begins reading the script, words foreign and occult-sounding.

Throughout the reading, Jaehyun’s head hangs low. Taeyong wants to know whether the ritual is taking effect or not. He gets his answer soon enough when Mr. Lee closes the notebook, steps backwards and a low growl comes from the vampire.

In the next minute, Jaehyun doesn’t move. More growls escape him and a line of spit begins dripping down the floor. Taeyong’s about to ask his father what’s going on when the vampire snaps his head up, eyes a flaming gold and razor-like fangs spring out of his mouth.

Jaehyun stares at Taeyong, tugging on the chains. He finally sees the cup of blood and that’s when he struggles harder from the shackles tying him to the wall. His attention focuses solely on the crimson drink, and he instantly forgets the presence of the two humans in the cell with him.

Mr. Lee takes his son’s hand and whispers. “Let’s go. He will be safe here. We’ll come back tomorrow.”

The father ties a chain they brought around the cell door, locking it close. They both know that if Jaehyun ever loses control of his urges, that lock won’t even be able to keep him inside. Taeyong lingers there for a moment to watch his boyfriend in a heart-wrenching state, whispering a _goodnight_ before Mr. Lee leads them out of the dungeon.

_Heart-wrenching_ is an injustice to the scene they witness on the night of the third day. The cup is still there, untouched, as Jaehyun cries out in immeasurable pain. Agony tears his insides, squashing his organs and pulverizing his bones as he continuously fights the call of hunger. Even though it’s the work of his mind, poison pours endlessly in its nook and cranny to torment him with all the accumulated pains of the world.

Taeyong sits through it, covering his ears with both hands but they cannot block the helpless wails of the vampire. His tears blur the picture of Jaehyun hunched forward, muscles flexing as he resists his demons. If Taeyong looks closely, he would see the black, protruding veins running along Jaehyun’s body. They threaten to burst and kill him.

Black liquid splashes out of the vampire’s mouth. There’s _so much_ that it creates a puddle on the floor. Mr. Lee wasn’t lying when he said that Jaehyun would vomit a lot of that venom. Copper, so strong and dizzying, permeates the air like a toxic spell.

For a second, Taeyong wonders if his screams echo out into the forest. It would sound like diabolical howls to the trees and animals. It’s traumatizing, like a record player of evening terrors.

He gasps in panic as the wall breaks with a slight crack from the chain being tugged roughly. Jaehyun continues to torture his throat, spilling black blood.

Mr. Lee’s grip on the back of his son’s shirt loosens. “It won’t be long, Taeyong. When the brightness of his eyes diminishes, the pain will fade.”

“…How long will he be asleep?”

“If he’s lucky, a few hours.”

_If he’s not, forever._

It’s not long before the screams die down, and Jaehyun’s eyes dull in color before they close. His figure slumps, chains holding him from hitting the black puddle on the floor. 

Mr. Lee glances at Taeyong. “Do you want to go back to the hotel?”

“No,” Taeyong tells his father to unlock the cell, and saunters over to the sleeping Jaehyun with a towel in hand. He quietly wipes down his boyfriend’s _warm_ body, cleaning as much as he can. It’s the least he can do for Jaehyun. Rid him of the dirt of this curse.

Six hours later, the sky changes its color to welcome another day. Taeyong shifts from one foot to another, eyes not leaving Jaehyun. Sleep didn’t come to him. Too anxious to relax his body.

Just as he’s about to sit down, he notices Jaehyun’s finger twitch. Taeyong runs towards him and lifts his head, tapping a cheek gently. “Jaehyun? Jaehyun! Wake up!” His heart pounds hard against his ribcage. Taeyong jostles the other desperately. “Jaehyun, please… Please come back…”

At that moment, a weak groan leaves Jaehyun’s lips before he finally, _finally_ wakes up.

Taeyong stares at a pair of black eyes.

**EPILOGUE**

“Yes, please open that file and look for his name. Check whether the employee number matches his ID. Why are you calling me now?” Taeyong pulls the phone away for a second to check the time. “Isn’t it 2 in the morning there?”

He whispers to the person on the other line so he won’t disturb the others around him that are also spending their weekend in the _Brera Botanical Garden._ Taeyong continues to instruct his assistant as he makes walks through a narrow pathway leading to the center of the garden where a water basin is.

It would’ve been better to absorb the beauty of the dreamlike garden if work isn’t following him everywhere. This is the first vacation he rewarded himself in three years. Such a workaholic man, one would say. They’re not wrong. He’s trying to save a lot for a number of future plans sitting pretty on his bucket list. Even if his parents are loaded, he chose to not ride on their coattails.

Taeyong ends the call and quickly pockets his phone. Looking around, he takes in the magnificent view. The garden is not vast. Tourists usually cross it off their itinerary, and most of the time it’s not even there. Taeyong thinks it’s stupid. It might not be as popular as the other destinations in Milan, but it’s quaint and beautiful, perfect for lovers to go to for their date.

 _Wouldn’t it be lovely if I’m not alone?_ He muses while gazing at the well-tended flowerbeds. There are lamps everywhere to give the garden a dreamy vibe. It certainly works. He feels like he’s in a movie.

Unfolding the guide in his hand, Taeyong reviews the small route and follows the direction towards the North side of the garden where the greenhouse is.

There’s nobody else when he finds it. Taeyong smiles to himself before sitting on one of the round, soft chairs. From where he sits, the Brera Palace faces him.

A warm feeling settles in his chest. He remembers his younger self from several years ago who wanted to travel the world to find value to his life. He already graduated, quickly promoted to a higher position in the company he works at. There’s so much more he wants to do, but he’ll take it slow. Ahead of him are more years to come, more years of happiness.

While he’s preoccupied with reminiscing, someone takes up the space on his left. Taeyong releases a soft chuckle before reaching for the other’s hand and as he does, the ring on his finger gleams under the moonlight.

“You’re late,” he says, interlocking their fingers. “Be glad that they’re extending the hours or a day would’ve been wasted just by waiting for you.”

Jaehyun’s nose scrunches in guilt. “I’m here now. The subway broke down at a station and they had to check if there were electrical issues.” A cheeky smile instantly crosses his face before he leans in to kiss Taeyong on the lips. “Did anyone hit on you, thinking you’re single?”

“Dumbass. Do you see the visitors? 9 out 10 are senior citizens. Fuck me if a grandpa asks for my hand in marriage.”

“Okay, but I already asked for your hand in marriage and you gave it to me. Can I fuck you now?”

Jaehyun yelps as a hand lands a slap on his cheek. “Why did you do that!”

“You got a filthy mouth on you, mister. Not an excuse that you’ve only been a human again for nearly four years.” Taeyong stands, pulling Jaehyun up. “I’ll agree if you ask again. _Nicely._ ” He smirks, giving his fiancé the bedroom eyes. “Maybe I’ll let you bite all over me too if you do a good job at it, _vamp._ ”

_Fin._

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know how to write vampire fics how did I doooo? Anyway thanks for reading and please leave a comment!


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